easing anxiety

Ah, the inevitable sign that summer break is coming to an end: back-to-school advertisements. As beneficial as they are for a parent's wallet, they may be triggering anxiety in their children as they prepare to return to school.

"For children, as it pertains to school, it's normal to feel scared about something that is coming new," said Miami-based psychologist Lina Acosta Sandaal, founder of Stop Parenting Alone, an organization dedicated to sharing information about child development with parents.

Surgery can make anyone anxious, but it is especially hard for young children. Kids going into surgery may be separated from their parents for the first time in a frightening new environment, and they may not understand what's happening.